Please guide me on my new journey

operationremie

I'm starting this all up in my 40s and I'm scared and heck to try again.

I need help with my stomach area. I love to go running/walking but I need some exercises I can do on a daily basis that can help me get rid of some of the inches on my sides. Over the last year, my job has made me very stationary and I've gained over 30 pounds and have again gained depression and self hate.

My clothes don't fit me anymore and I hate that. I'd love to lose 30 pounds but just a couple well help with my self care.

I have a herniated disc in my lower back so a lot of gym stuff is out of the question (so is going to the gym). If there's things I can do that I can do at home that would be amazing.

I'm thinking about trying to take up roller skating to help with my motivation as well.

Any help/guides would be greatly appreciated.

cmriverside

The good news is that weight loss is mostly about the food.

I lost 80ish pounds and most of the exercise I did was walking along with some resistance bands work and a bit of swimming. Nothing too hard on the back, I also have a disk problem.

So - just start logging food. Make some easy changes this week, like maybe dessert only on Friday, or no more treats at your desk at work. Try to get in some vegetables!

You can do this. You'll be very glad you did.

slade51

Daily walks or bike rides are great for stress relief and appetite suppression while also serving as low impact exercise. I agree that weight loss is mostly cutting calories- exercise is for health and building muscle. Maybe you can add some body weight abs work & stretching.
Start small and be consistent. Try different things to find what you enjoy.

Good luck.

mtaratoot

The news you don't want to hear is that you can't focus only on losing fat in one area of your body.

The good news is that if you work on losing fat, you'll lose it EVERYWHERE. You might not lose it first where you most want it, but if you can take a long view and go at a good steady pace, success will find you. Stick to it. Make some goals. Figure out a good calorie goal and stick to it. Eat back at least some of your exercise calories. Don't go too fast - failure awaits those who rush. Work on building habits that you can continue forever.

Log all your food completely, accurately, and honestly. Then pay attention for a few weeks. If your weight change is what you expected based on your calorie deficit, keep on that plan. If your loss is slower, maybe work on a larger deficit. If your loss is faster - you can still stick to it because as you lose fat, you'll need to reduce your calories anyway because it takes less energy to move a smaller you. So as you lose, be sure to revise your goal.

You will have times when you don't lose. That's OK. It works that way. It's not linear. Just stick with the program! It's good you're starting now. The best time to start was a few years ago. The second best time is TODAY. If you lose one pound a week (a 500 calorie per day deficit less than you burn), in a year you'll have surpassed your goal of losing 30 pounds. The last few pounds are more difficult for most folks.

When you get to your goal, you still have to stick to in. Maintaining weight is just like losing weight except you get a few more calories each day.

I wish you could separate your self-worth from your weight. Depression sucks. Losing weight and fat may or may not help with that. If there's other parts of your life causing stress, look at those too.

Do keep exercising. It's good for you! Just don't expect that to be the answer to weight/fat loss. Weight loss happens in the kitchen because you can't outrun the fork.

Keep checking in and letting us know how you're doing!

AnnPT77

Riverside is right (as usual ). Losing fat is about calorie balance, and it's usually easiest to lose fat by adjusting what we eat.

Exercise is good for a body, as long as we adjust for any personal injuries or limitations, and it lets us eat a few more calories while losing weight at the same rate. That can help one stick with the process, IME.

Anything we do that involves more movement burns more calories. That can be simple increases in daily life activity**, fun pastimes like walking in pretty place or playing with kids, games, activities, or gym stuff (of which there are many types).

If you have physical limitations, asking your doctor for a referral to a physical therapist for assessment might be a good avenue. Those folks can assess where we are now in very nuanced ways, recommend exercises to improve the situation, and give advice on what other types of exercise are most likely to be safe (or should be avoided).

** There's a thread here where many MFP-ers suggest ways to increase movement in daily life:

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10610953/neat-improvement-strategies-to-improve-weight-loss/p1

Not all of those ideas will be suitable for everyone, but perhaps some would be workable for you.

Finding a way to make gradual improvements can be very self-empowering. Congratulations to you for taking first steps, and best wishes for long-term success!